Blood Is Thicker Than Water
by Snow Whitex Prince Charming
Summary: I don't know if this applies as AU but I don't care, AU: Tara Aldrich doesn't know it yet but she was born with a bigger fate then her twin sister Emma Swan who she doesn't even know exists she'll just have to find out what her fate is twenty-eight years into the past.
1. From Storybrooke To Here

Tara Aldrich pressed her temple to the cold glass of the driver's window although the gray skies above promised rain she'd given up about an hour ago, the inside of her car was hot given that my air condition had gone of strike somewhere near Augusta and she'd chugged her last cold drink about two hours ago. Her mouth was dry as she approached the welcome to Storybrooke sign from thirst or from nervousness she couldn't tell. And then her car died right at the sign she sighed, got her bags and things from the back locked, her car and started walking. About the time she'd made it a mile or so her head was swimming and her mouth was unbearably dry but adrenaline kept flooding her system but she was so disoriented it didn't matter she had to stop as she leaned back against her suitcase Tara began to dream.

* * *

_Sunshine. It shone through the windows of what appeared to be a nursery a heavily pregnant woman paced the floor in front of two cradles the woman's dark tresses much like Tara's own fell a little past her shoulders, she had creamy snow white flawless skin, tired looking green eyes, and blood red lips. Tara's fingertips brushed her own flushed lips in wonder. The woman turned and spotted her_

_"Who's there?" Tara froze in fear_

_"Don't be afraid I won't hurt you" Tara stepped into the light as the woman gasped_

_"It's you isn't it? You're-"_

* * *

Tara was jarred awake by a sudden jolt she struggled to sit up.

"Easy, girl everything's alright" a soothing voice said from the shadows of a dimly lit room

"Granny she can't stay here, it's almost wolf's time!" A younger voice replied

"Well we very well can't desert her now can we Red?" The older voice Granny's replied

"Where am I?" Tara asked

"A little ways outside Falenshire about a days ride from Rwendia and that's with a good horse" The young voice Red's replied as the two figures stepped into the light

"And this is where?" Tara asked

"The kingdom of Ocicia" Red replied

"Where are you from girl what's your name?" Granny asked

"I'm Tara and I think a better question is where the hell am I?"

_**A stranger who's purpose is unknow sent back to the Enchanted Forest I'm such a genius sometimes! Please reveiw!**_


	2. A Mother's Horror

Tara borrowed from Red a woolen dress, some heavy stockings, leather boots, mittens, and a spare cloak (also wool) that was midnight blue in color and trekked outside (there was at least six inches of snow on the ground) to help Red do chores.

"So... what the hell is wolf's time?" Tara asked as red filled the basket with eggs

"You don't know?" Red said knitting her eyebrows together. Tara shook her head no

"Where did you say you where from again?" Red asked

"I didn't" Tara said Red frowned

"There is a wolf who comes out every full moon and kills livestock and people if their unfortunate enough, many men have perished." Red said

"Why don't you just kill it?" Tara asked Red nearly dropped the eggs she was holding

"You make it sound so easy!" Red cried

"Isn't it?" Tara asked

"I tried to kill it once with a friend, I ended up loosing the man I loved because of it." Red said there was a pregnant pause

"What was his name?" Tara asked

"Peter" Red said the conversation ended at that. Tara and Red worked silently side-by-side Tara not offering any back of her back-story and Red giving no more of hers.

"If you won't give us are name at least give me something to call you" Red said before they left the coop with the eggs Tara thought a moment

"Call me... Mary." Tara said.

* * *

James had called from the hospital Emma had found a woman unconscious by the road a mile from the edge of town so Snow ran through the hospital frantic. James stood waiting in the hall doctors and nurses constantly coming in and out of the room.

"Where's Emma? Is everything ok what happened?" Snow asked her husband

"Emma went back to the station" James cast a longing glance towards the door.

"James, what is it? What aren't you telling me?" Snow asked nervously

"It's her Snow she came back for us" Snow White froze for a minute before darting into the room before her husband could stop her.

"Your Majesty with all due respect you can't be in here" Dr. Whale said Snow ignored him and pushed through the throng of people around the bed

"Let me through!" Snow cried

"Let me through I'm her mother!" That got them scrambling no one in their right minds would keep a mother from her child, especially when that child needed her in any world, and before Snow could say don't eat the apples the room cleared out and it was just her, James and the woman in the bed Snow approached the bed solemnly the woman in the bed was breathtaking she has thick, curly dark hair, pale white skin, and flushed red lips, Snow noted how small her veins were in her wrists and started to sob her daughter had been so small at birth Emma had being a big baby for seven months but her sister had been small, James had said she was strong though her cries had been louder than Emma's and there was no doubt that the woman in the bed was her daughter. Snow stumbled backwards-causing James to catch her.

"Oh my Gods it's her... it's Tara!" Snow managed to get out

"I know Darling I know" James soothed

"How did this happen?" Snow asked

"They say she got too dehydrated" James said Snow whimpered

"Hey, Tara's strong remember? She'll be ok." Snow hoped he was right.

_**Please Review**_


	3. We're Off To The Palace

Tara lay in bed next to Red that night wide-awake while Red slept on. _How the hell did I get here?_ Tara wondered one minute she was passed out and then she was here. Dawn broke outside as there was a noise at the window

"Red!" Tara hissed shaking the sleeping girl

"Red there's something at the window!" Red groaned and marched over to the window opening the shutters a dove sat on the window sill with a note tied to its leg

"Quick light a candle!" Red said retrieving the note Tara grabbed a candle from the bedside table and stuck the wick in the smoldering fire until it lit and walked over to Red who peered at the seal on the note Red grinned

"Who's it from?" Tara asked as Red broke the seal and read the note. Red's grin got bigger as she finished reading and ran out of the room note in hand

"Granny! It's twins!" Red cried as Tara followed her to the place Granny sat crossbow pointed at the door.

"Twins? Are you sure?" Granny asked

"Yes! See?" Red said thrusting the note into Granny's hands. Tara read the note over the old woman's shoulder:

_My Dearest Red and Granny,_

_I write to you in utter jubilation we found out its twins! James insists their boys but I know we'll have two little girls running around here soon enough oh how perfect my girls will be they'll have the best of both of us and they will always be loved. Get ready to be an aunt my friend I know you'll spoil my children rotten. I formally invite you to the palace for a visit it has been too long since we were together last. Forever yours._

_ Your loving,_

_ Snow._

"We're going to the palace!" Red cried happily

"Hold on girl I haven't said yes yet" Granny said

"Granny its _Snow_" Red said

"I am aware of who it is girl but with wolf's time coming…"

"I'll wear my cloak and be good I promise!" Red said Granny looked from Red to Tara

"What about the girl?" Granny said

"Mary can come with us I'm sure Snow wouldn't mind!" Red said Granny mulled over her answer a bit more

"Ok" Red squealed with delight

"Come on Mary let's pack!" Red cried pulling Tara back to their room.

"We leave within the hour!" Granny called after them. The next hour was a blur of packing and hitching the horse to the cart before they set off Tara didn't even recall putting her cloak on but as they rode away Tara smiled this Snow seemed like a nice person and she'd always had a soft spot for babies…

_**I was going to go back to Storybrooke but when I finished the chapter I didn't have the heart to ruin such a perfect chapter with something painful! As always Please Review and please recomend this story to your friends thank you!**_


	4. Jane Doe

Emma scowled at the file she was no closer to figuring out who Jane Doe was than she'd been an hour ago! There was a timid knock at the door to her room.

"Come in" Emma muttered her mother poked her head into the room

"Hey"

"Hi" Emma muttered

"I brought you some hot chocolate with cinnamon." Her mother said

"Thanks" Emma said. Taking the mug from her mother and taking a sip of the drink.

"Any closer to figuring it out?" Her mother asked

"Nope" Emma said

"There's like nothing on her I don't understand it!" Emma cried

"You'll figure it out," Snow said

"Did you know her? Back then I mean" Emma asked

"Emma, I didn't know everyone," her mother said

"But?" Emma pressed

"But yes, I knew her"

"Who is she?" Emma asked

"Rose Red!" Henry cried holding out the book to show them a picture of a little girl with raven black hair Snow recognized as herself. And a baby Snow recognized as the infant who had died with her mother.

"Is it her? Is it Jane Doe?" Emma asked

"It's-" just then Snow's watch went off.

"Oh! I'm late for my shift!" Snow cried running out of the apartment.

* * *

Tara, Red and Granny arrived at the palace about sundown. Red had dozed most the way but sleep never visited poor Tara. She was exhausted and wanted nothing more then to sleep. A man and a woman greeted them when they arrived Tara recognized the woman she was the woman from her odd dream,

"Red! So nice to see you!" The woman Tara assumed was Snow said hugging her brunet companion.

"You too Snow" Red said

"Red, Granny a pleasure" The man said bowing slightly

"And who is this?" He asked gesturing to Tara

"This is Mary" Granny said

"Welcome! It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Snow and this is my husband James" Snow said

"The pleasure is mine" Tara said trying her best to curtsy.

"There's no need any friend of Red's is a friend of mine" Snow laughed Tara shot Snow a smile of thanks.

"Come you must join us for dinner" James said warmly and with that they followed James away.

_**It's short but please review!**_


	5. We Need to Talk

Snow sat next to her daughter's hospital bed she had been told her daughter was close to death when she was found and was doing much better. That, if anything calmed Snow's fears if but a little.

"Snow?" Snow looked up and saw Grumpy standing in the door way six more dwarves behind him.

"Come on in boys, I could use the company." Snow said as all seven dwarves filled in some held balloons that read 'Get Well Soon' and 'We're Thinking Of You!' some carried flowers.

"We brought these for her," Dopey said

"Thank you Dopey that's very kind" Snow said softly

"She looks like she's sleeping," yawned Sleepily _if only she was_ Snow thought sadly

"W- will she be alright?" Bashful asked shyly

"She'll be fine I checked her vitals myself, she's quite strong considering the health problems she's contracted."

"Health problems?" Snow's voice reached a high fearful pitch

"Nothing serious Snow, she just has a weaker immune system then the rest of us and a minor case of asthma" Snow let out a sigh of relief

"Good nothing life threatening" Snow breathed now if only her baby would wake up.

* * *

"So any baby names yet?" Red asked during dinner

"I like the names Alexander and Tristan." James said

"And I like Emma, and Tara" Tara almost did a perfect spit take.

"Tara really?" Granny asked

"Emma was my mother's name and Tara... I read a book once where the heroine's name was Tara, I want my girls to be a heroine." Snow said

"If they're girls" James said Tara's heart pounded in her chest

"And the Queen's threat?" Granny asked you could cut the sudden tension with a knife.

"We don't know…" Snow mumbled James squeezed his wife's hand reassuringly Tara suddenly felt like she was missing something.

"What threat?" the entire table stared at her making her feel like a bug under a microscope _wrong question!_

"Where did you say you were from?" Snow asked

"I um… um…"

"She never said" Red said Tara shrank under their intense gaze.

"We need to talk" Snow said Tara swallowed as she got up and followed Snow away.

_**Please Review!**_


	6. More Questions Than Answers

Emma found it odd that her mother had rushed out of the apartment so fast, what was so important about her shift at the hospital?

"Maybe it's because she's the Queen and she brings comfort to the people" Henry said still looking for information on Jane Doe or "Rose Red" as Henry insisted they call her. Emma wouldn't deny her mother had a Princess Diana Effect on people but it was still odd. Later that night Emma snuck out of her room and listened to her parents talking in the living room.

"How is she?" Her father asked

"Stable. Doc says she has some health issues though"

"What kind of health issues?" James asked

"Nothing serious, Doc says she just has a weaker immune system then the rest of us and a minor case of asthma," the sigh her father let out sounded sad and relieved at the same time

"Will she be alright?" James asked

"They hope so," her mother said

"I'm going to go see her tomorrow" James said decidedly Emma crept off to bed with more questions about Jane Doe then answers.

* * *

Tara followed Snow into a study-like room it was warm and welcoming Tara gazed around in wonder as Snow turned to her with tears in her eyes

"I know why you're here" Snow said without preamble Tara frowned _well then could you explain it to me? I don't even know why I'm here!_

"You work for my stepmother… and you're here to kill me." _Woah! Back up what the hell did I miss?_

"What?"

"I beg you, don't kill me whatever she's threatened you with whatever she's promised you I can do better!" Snow begged

"Listen, I have no idea what you're talking about" Tara said

"Then who are you why are you here?" Snow asked

"I don't know, look I'm a writer, I was just passing through when I blacked out and woke up here" Snow frowned

"A _writer_?" Snow tried out the strange word

"You know, an author? A novelist?" Snow's face remained blank Tara sighed

"A _scribe_?" recognition filled Snow's eyes at the old word Tara had never once applied to herself.

"But isn't that man's work?" Snow asked Tara gritted her teeth

"With all do respect your Majesty, screw men I can do anything men can do ten times better." Snow smiled

"So you are no damsel in distress, good I like that." Tara narrowed her eyes at the woman

"What does that mean?"

"It means I like you and I trust you," Snow said rubbing her swollen abdomen

"And trust me in times such as these trust from me is a rare and precious gift don't waste it."

"Yeah about that, what is going on around here?" Tara asked

"I would've thought the neighboring kingdoms would've heard by now."

"I'm not from a neighboring kingdom" Tara replied Snow sighed

"My stepmother has threaten to enact a curse that will tear everything we love away from us," Snow said

"That includes my husband and my girls." Tara paled _my girls_ for some odd reason it pulled at her heartstrings to hear the woman before her refer to her unborn children with so much love and tenderness.

"I'm sorry, I think I need to lay down." Tara said

"Are you ok?" Snow asked

"Yeah just dandy, I just need to sleep off the spiced wine, I don't drink much." Snow nodded

"Well, goodnight Mary" Snow said as a servant appeared as if by magic to lead Tara to her room.

"_Tara_" Tara whispered as she followed the maid away, she didn't see Snow frown after the retreating girl who oddly she trusted _who are you?_ Snow wondered.

_**Tada sorry major writer's block but I got over it! Yay! please review!**_


	7. Secrets Discovered

The next morning Tara woke up in an exquisite bedchamber an olive green dress with matching shoes was spread across the foot of the bed with a note

_Thought this would look nice on you _

_~S_

Tara had no idea how she managed to lace up the laces by herself but she did and as she studied herself in her full length mirror she smiled the corset she wore gave her the curvy figure she'd always dreamed of and the shiny olive fabric that would normally look atrocious set off her dark curly hair and pale skin as she worked the hair brush through her hair until it was silky smooth and tangle free, somehow she figured out how to make a braided crown out of her hair and smiled grabbing her cloak and slipping through what she assumed was a kitchen grabbing a pear as she slipped out into the snow covered gardens.

"Mary!" Tara turned to see James coming towards her

"Good morning James" Tara smiled

"Lady Mary" James bowed

"I'm no lady" Tara said with a feeble smile

"The dress tells a different story." James said Tara blushed

"Snow lent it to me" James smiled

"Will you walk with me?" James asked Tara smiled

"I'd be delighted" and as they walked they talked

"So tell me about yourself mysterious Prince James" Tara said

"Not much to tell, I'm married to the love of my life, my wife's expecting two beautiful babies aside from the curse, which I'm sure Snow told you about last night, I couldn't be happier." James said

"Is it true? What you keep saying to Snow? Are sons really that important to you?" Tara asked

"Honestly, no don't tell my wife but I wouldn't mind two little girls to spoil, Emma and Tara are fine names better then anything I could come up with." Tara smiled

"You'll make a wonderful father"

"Thank you" James said the was a pause

"My wife says you do some… _interesting _work." Tara rolled her eyes

"Call it what you want but were I come from men and women do the same jobs." James arched an eyebrow

"But a _scribe_?" Tara made a face

"I hate that word"

"Then what would you prefer?" James asked

"How about a writer" Tara said

"What made you pick that kind of work?" James asked

"I don't know, I've always had a story in my heart just waiting to be told."

"So you're a _writer_, what about a husband? Children?" James inquired

"Nope, not yet anyway" Tara said

"Family?" Tara's eyes cast downward

"None that I know of" another silence

"I'm sorry" James said

"You must miss them"

"Can't miss something you never had" Tara said another pause.

"I… better go in," Tara said rushing past James towards the palace when she slipped on a patch of ice

"Careful!" James cried catching her arm, a jolt of electricity rushed through the pair leaving both stunned and breathless. James looked at the strange woman in a knew light noticing for the first time how much she looked like Snow, Tara saw some of her own features suddenly in the man before her James was the first to speak

"Who the _hell_ are you?"

* * *

James slipped into his youngest daughter's hospital room quietly the machines keeping her alive hummed rhythmically but otherwise the room was still, he moved over to the chair placed by Tara's bed and sat.

"Hi" James said gazing at his daughter

"I really don't know what to say to you, I just got the hang of talking to Emma that's your twin sister, oh gods last time I talked to you, your were an infant just a tiny little thing."

* * *

_James had fought the dark knights and now carried the two babies he loved so much to the wardrobe. He placed Emma in the wardrobe and kissed her forehead_

_"Find us." He whispered before turning to his tiny baby girl in his arms his youngest._

_"I love you Tara" James whispered placing the sobbing infant in the wardrobe_

_"Stick together" and then he shut the door and locked it._

* * *

A lone tear slid down James's cheek at the memory.

"Oh gods how do I even talk to you? I don't even talk to Emma! I mean I do but we don't really talk!" James sighed

"I guess all I can say is... I love you so much baby girl" James kissed Tara's forehead before turning to leave as he did so he froze. Emma stood in the doorway glaring daggers at him

"Emma-" James began but Emma cut him off

"A twin sister? Are you _fucking_ kidding me?"

_**Tada! REVIEW!**_


	8. A Twin?

"James, are you ok?" Tara asked the look he was giving her was creeping her out. "

Come with me" James said grabbing Tara's wrist and dragged her into the palace

"Hey Happy where's Doc?" James asked a short grinning man

"In his workshop your Highness"

"Thank you my friend" James said pulling Tara after him. Doc's workshop was a small, cozy place with various herbs, and books, and potions laying about, the room itself was quite charming James and Tara burst into the room

"Doc I need you to test some blood!" James announced

"What!" Tara cried wrenching her wrist out of James's grip

"No one is testing my blood until you tell me what is going on here!" James sighed

"This is going to sound crazy... I think you're my daughter"

"That's impossible! You can't be more than a few months older than me!" Tara cried

"Look all I know is you look like my wife and if you are my daughter your blood will be purple" James said

"That's not possible, blood is red everyone knows that!"

"It is," Doc said

"But depending on a person's breeding their blood mixed with fairy dust changes color, nobles are blue, magical beings are pink, dwarves are green, the normal population remains red and if you mix red and blue together-"

"You get purple" Tara said Doc nodded

"One problem... I'm scared, I know it's ridiculous but- ow!" the dwarf had drawn a dagger across Tara's palm and now it was bleeding

"This won't hurt a bit" Doc said producing a small pouch and poured some shimmering dust over the wound and right before their eyes Tara's blood glowed and turned purple in color.

"Well I'll be" Doc drawled as the magic of the fairy dust healed the wound leaving no scar.

"Now the only question" said James locking eyes with the young woman who one of his unborn daughters would grow up to become

"Which one are you, Emma? Or Tara?"

* * *

The front door to the apartment flew open the sound of the door as it slammed against the wall echoed through the apartment the furious blonde stormed in looking for blood

"Emma!" James rushed in after his daughter he had chased her from the hospital completely forgetting his truck in the parking lot.

"What's going on?" Snow asked as she emerged from the kitchen

"A twin? I have a _fucking_ twin?" Snow paled and looked to James who nodded

"H- how did you find out?"

"I heard you two talking and followed him to the hospital, why didn't you tell me!" Emma seethed

"We didn't know how, I was going to but- oh Emma there was never time!" Snow cried

"Never time? What about when I was pouring over files for hours! You couldn't have poked your head in and say oh I don't know hey Emma you know that Jane Doe you found she actually your long lost twin sister!" Emma spat

"That's enough Emma" James said

"Apologize to your mother this instant!"

"Don't you dare snap out of David Nolan mode now! You cannot be Charming right now, maybe you can pull that crap with my sister but not with me! What's her name anyway?"

"_Tara_" Snow said a silence filled the room.

"Screw this" Emma muttered storming out the door

"Where are you going?" Snow asked

"To go pick up Henry," Emma said as the door slammed shut after her.

_**REVIEW!**_


	9. Tears

Tara felt faint somehow she had managed to make it to her nursery of all places without assistance from James who had left her to fetch Snow, her heart was racing, her palms was clammy and the world was spinning too fast the moment she had told James her name. Her _true_ name her world had been rocked James had grabbed her in a hug and told her she was beautiful and that he was so proud of her. A whirlwind of activity had happened James saying something like

"We must tell your mother" and then she was here in the beautiful nursery that had been created for the unborn baby princesses holding on to her crib for dear life so that she wouldn't faint and staring at her baby blanket, she recognized it of coarse she was found wrapped in it her name embossed in violet gossamer ribbon

"Mary?" Tara turned to see Snow and James standing just inside the room watching her. At the sight of her mother Tara's head swam and her knees buckled causing her to sink to the floor

"Tara!" Her father's voice something every little girl should know by heart reverberated off the walls of her skull she could feel some one pull her close, stroking her hair like a small child

"I can't do this" Tara whimpered

"I know, I know baby I'm sorry." James said the world was still spinning it was like she was on a Tilt-A-Whirl from hell; she was so dizzy, so sick she just wanted to lie down.

"I need to lay down" the second the words left her lips she was picked up bridal style and carried out of the nursery

"Rest baby, we'll still be here when you wake up" James said laying her down on a soft bed. And rest she did.

* * *

Tara opened her eyes some one was holding her hand when she looked to see who it was she nearly groaned, it was Snow tears in her eyes

"Why didn't you tell me?" Snow asked

"I didn't want to be burned at the stake," Tara muttered

"What?" Snow asked

"Nothing" Tara said quickly covering

"I didn't know myself, not until that crazy gnome cut my hand and poured dust on it."

"Doc's a dwarf Honey" Snow said sweeping a stray lock of hair out of Tara's face.

"What's the difference?"

"Gnomes are smaller, more vile creatures, dwarfs are kind, helpful beings." Snow said sweetly

"And when mixed with fairy dust their blood turns green" Tara smirked

So Doc's all ready teaching you about healing, I'll have to speak to your father about that." Snow chuckled there was a pause

"Who else knows... about me?" Tara asked

"The dwarfs, Red, Granny, and select members of the personal guard" Snow said Tara groaned

"Red and Granny know?"

"Don't worry they understand" Snow smiled

"Sure they understand I lied to their faces" Tara groaned

"Hey look at me" Snow said Tara couldn't meet the other woman, her mother's eyes

"Tara, please?" Snow's voice was soft; pleading even finally blue eyes met green

"I'm sorry" Tara whispered

"I couldn't tell you, I was pushed past the point of no return... and then... then I saw you and- and I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. I could not tell you who I was." Tara said starting to cry

"Oh Honey, shush baby its ok" Snow said wiping Tara's tears away

"You didn't know, no one knew. Oh sweetheart you must've been so scared all by yourself in a strange place" Tara felt weak, like a little kid crying all she wanted was for her mother to hold her close, as if reading Tara's mind Snow laid down next to her daughter wrapping her arms around her

"I love you so much Baby, you're so beautiful" Tara closed her eyes and fell back asleep.

* * *

Emma pressed the phone to her ear she'd been on hold with Dr. Whale's office for twenty minutes and right now the sound of elevator music was very annoying.

"Hello this is Dr. Whale" the man said when he answered

"I know who I'm calling" Emma snapped irritably

"Sheriff Swan, how can I help you?" The man asked dryly

"Get somebody, who isn't you to change Jane Doe's name" Emma said

"I'm slightly offended," Dr. Whale said

"I don't give a crap" Emma snarled the doctor gave a huff of annoyance

"What's the name?"

"Tara,"

"Last name?" Dr. Whale asked snottily

"Not sure" Emma replied Dr. Whale grunted in a snobby fashion

"Just do it!" Emma snapped before snapping her phone shut.

"Who was that?" Henry asked as he got in the passenger seat of Emma's bug backpack in hand.

"The hospital" Emma sighed

"Why? What's wrong? Is it Rose Red?" Emma sighed

"Henry, she's not Rose Red" Emma said

"Yes she is!" Henry insisted

"No Henry she's not," Emma sighed how do you tell your son about his aunt that you didn't even know existed?

"Well if her name's _not_ Rose Red who is she?" Henry demanded Emma closed her eyes, took a deep breath and spoke

"Her name is Tara, and she's my twin sister." There was silence and Emma felt the strongest urge to cry in her entire life _how could her parents keep this from her?_

"I guess that makes sense," Henry said

"Why?" Emma asked

"Your too awesome for there to be just one of you." Henry said that did it. All Emma's walls came down and Emma cried.

_**Please Review I poured my heart into this one.**_


	10. Fighter

When Tara woke up she found a violet colored gown with matching shoes. Tara changed into the gown successfully lacing herself up again and pining her hair into a bun at the nape of her neck. Tara pushed the door to the room open and was met by a dwarf

"I'm here to escort you to dinner with your parents" he said Tara arched an eyebrow at the dwarf

"An escort really?"

"I'm not thrilled about it either but your parents are insistent you remain guarded." The dwarf said

"I'm twenty-eight!" Tara said indignantly

"Tell them that," the dwarf said taking her arm and leading her down the corridor

"Which one are you?" Tara asked as they walked

"Grumpy" Grumpy replied

"And you are Princess Tara the unborn daughter of Prince James and Princess Snow White." Grumpy continued Tara blushed

"Please don't call me that it's just Tara" Tara said as they entered the dinning hall Grumpy led her to her seat between her parents as bowed as he left.

"An escort really?" Tara asked as she sat down

"We could not risk your safety" James explained

"I'm on palace grounds what can hurt me?" Tara demanded

"My stepmother" Snow said softly Tara paled

"I know this is all still very knew to you..." James said casting a glance at Snow

"But we have to ask, what happens to you and Emma?" Snow continued

"I- I don't know" Snow shot a confused look at her daughter

"I was found as an infant alone in the woods, there was no Emma" Snow looked pale

"You're separated," she whispered

"I didn't even know Emma existed" Tara went on

"I was past around from home to home until I was three-" Tara choked on her tears.

"And then a nice couple took me in, they couldn't have children and I was their last chance." Tears pooled in Tara's eyes as she recalled memories she had spent years repressing.

"And then about the time I was three in a half the wife took off, two years of court dates and custody battles later I was going from one parent to the other on a daily bases." Tears poured from Tara's eyes

"It. Messed. Me. Up. She brought strange men to live with us tried to make them be my father." James's eyes flashed with anger

"I just wanted you, I'd go running into the woods behind our house after we had one of our fights and I would just sit down and scream for you." Tara fought back sobs

"But you never came, I thought if I screamed loud enough and long enough you'd hear me and come running." Tara finished her tale and shamefully broke down in tears.

"I'm sorry" Tara whimpered wiping her tears away

"I've lost my appetite may I please be excused?" Tara asked

"Of coarse" Snow whispered Tara rose not having touched her dinner and left.

* * *

Snow sat in the living room folding laundry when something occurred to her

"I am an idiot" She whispered setting the work I side task forgotten and hurried to her book shelf to fetch a book, turning to the 'About the Author' page Snow gasped, there in black and white smiling up at her was her youngest daughters face Snow looked at the title of the book it was called _Fighter_ it was a novel about a child who went through the foster system and her adoptive parent's ugly divorce and survived it. The book was based on the author's childhood turning to a random page Snow read the words that had haunted her as she read the book

_"I ran out the back door, leaving behind my mother and her boy toy discussion over. Done. There was no more to say. She had had the last word. It was final. I ran deep into the woods until I had to sit down, it was then I cried bitterly and as I did so I screamed_

_"MAMA! DADDY!" I screamed until my voice hurt and then screamed some more, soon I was hoarse, all my tears had been shed and I was tired I picked myself up and headed back to my mother the screams for my birth parents still echoing in the trees."_

Something tore at Snow's heart even as Mary Margaret she knew that part was not fiction

"Oh my poor baby" Snow whispered hugging the book to her chest little did Snow know back in the Enchanted Forest her daughter was running through the woods with no guards what so ever trying to get away from all her painful memories.

_**Ok 1) Fighter is a peice I did for my English class last year TOTALLY made up. 2) I started crying while writing this 3) the book has no relevence to anything that's going to happen I just felt like I needed a tie in please review!**_


	11. Magic's Price

Tara ran through the woods tears streaming down her face, all those years spent repressing those bad memories and in just a matter of seconds they all came flooding back. Tara stumbled over a root and cried out

"Princess?" Tara bolted she didn't know what would happen if she got caught and she wasn't going to find out Tara spotted a cave and bolted for it, torches burned on scones along the wall Tara groped the wall for a hold as she stumbled deeper and deeper into the cave soon she came upon a cage that seemed like it was part of the cave. Tara wondered what kind of creature would be kept inside she peered into the darkness and as she did a scaly gold hand grabbed her wrist

"Well, well, well what do we have here?" A high-pitched voice giggled from within the cage, a scaly gold face appeared at the bars startling Tara

"Who are you?" Tara asked

"Oh where are my manners, I am Rumpelstilskin and I can give you whatever your heart desires, I can heal that injured ankle for a price of coarse." Tara didn't realize how bad her ankle had hurt until that moment.

"What's your price?" Tara asked

"Your name" the creature-man-thing cooed _strange price_ Tara thought, but her ankle throbbed with pain so she opened her mouth to speak.

"Step away from the cage" Tara whirled to see Grumpy standing behind her

"Oh goodie a member of the royal guard!" The creature said sarcastically. Grumpy pulled Tara away from the creature and shoved her towards a new figure Tara recognized as Red

"Get her out of here" Grumpy ordered and Red obeyed helping a limping Tara out of the cave.

"I'm screwed aren't I?" Tara asked as she limped through the woods

"_Royally_" Red replied.

* * *

When they arrived at the palace Grumpy turned to Red

"Take her to her parents" Red nodded and helped Tara through her parent's rooms until they came to their bedchambers, putting the least amount of weight possible on her hurt ankle Tara pushed the doors open and limped in. The scene that met her eyes when she opened the doors made her heart sink through the floor, her mother was pacing the floor while her father sat staring out the window with a drink in his hand they turned when the doors opened

"Tara?" Her mother's voice sounded panicked just then Tara's stride faltered a searing pain shot through Tara's ankle causing her to scream in pain. James was at her side in a second

"My ankle I think it's broken" Tara managed to get out as James helped her to a bed she assumed was his and Snow's

"Red, fetch Doc quickly!" Snow cried Tara saw Red nod and flee down the hall as the doors closed.

"What were you thinking? Do you have any idea how worried we were about you?" Snow asked Tara started to cry

"I- I couldn't handle it I spent years repressing those memories and when they came flooding back... I'm sorry" Snow wiped her daughter's tears away

"Shh, no we're sorry, we shouldn't have asked that of you." Snow whispered just then Doc came in

"What's this I hear about a broken ankle?" Tara groaned Doc quickly got to work examining the ankle and by the time he was done tears of pain were running down Tara's face and she was crushing James's hand

"Well it's not broken, just a bad sprain" Doc said as he got to work wrapping the injury up.

"Oh thank the gods" Snow sighed relieved

"I suggest lots of bed rest and no late night treks through the forest alone" Tara groaned in response

"Thank you Doc" James said Doc bowed in response and left. Tara closed her eyes

"I'm grounded aren't I?" She asked _God that sounds so weird!_

"What was your first clue?" Snow asked

"So what? Are you going to lock me in a tower with no doors or something?" Tara asked

"How about you tell us what happened first" James said Tara sighed

"I tripped on a root and sprained my ankle, I wasn't about to get caught so I ran into this cave and met a man there named Rumpelstilskin" her mother yelped in response to the name

"What?"

"Tell me you _did not _give him your name!" Snow said

"I never got the chance" Tara said Snow breathed a sigh of relief

"I'm going to kill him" James snarled the color drained from Tara's face _no._

"James-" Snow said

"Don't talk me out of this" James said grabbing his sword

"James will you just stop for a second and think this through?"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't do this!" James demanded

"Because I need you here!" her parents turned to look at her, Tara felt tears well up in her eyes blurring her vision

"I've had enough people leave me in my life already! Please Daddy don't go!" Tara sobbed she felt two strong arms wrap around her.

"Ok," James said softly as Tara leaned into her father's embrace

"I won't go… I'm sorry." For a moment Tara hated herself for being weak and crying but then she felt something that had been missing in her life for years,_ safe_,_ loved_ even her adoptive father had died when she was nineteen he was the last man she'd felt safe with, but now as her birth father cradled her in his arms Tara felt truly safe.

* * *

The weeks passed slowly and Tara soon grew bored lying in bed all day. Her parents flitted in and out even Red came to visit but mostly she was alone, one sunny afternoon her mother came into her room with a thick leather bound book.

"What's that?" Tara asked interested

"A history book, I want you to know who you are," Snow said handing the book to Tara. Tara turned to a page at random and began to read,

"Woah"

"What?"

"You are such a bad ass! I mean I grew up with the story of Snow White but she was nothing like this!"

"Really? What's your version of what happened?" Her mother asked

"There was a beautiful girl who's stepmother hated her because she was prettier than her so she sent a huntsman to kill her and that didn't work because the girl ran off to live with a bunch of dwarves and do their house work so the queen poisoned her with an apple and something about a glass coffin and a prince and true loves kiss." Tara said

"That's not how it happened!"

"Clearly" there was a silence

"What's today's date?" Tara asked

"The fifteenth day of the tenth month why?" Snow said Tara paled

"Tara? What is it? What's wrong?"

"My birthday's in two weeks" mother and daughter stared at each other.

"That's means it's almost time," Snow said rubbing her belly

"And time for me to go" Tara said.

* * *

The next several days Snow and James sat vigil next to Tara's bed it was very rare her room was not occupied by both of her parents. Unknown to them their daughter was on her way back to them.

_**Hey I redid it Review!**_


	12. Going Back

Tara could hear them that night, as she lay awake in bed.

"We're not sending Tara… our little girl."

"…Almost time… it's what's best… our daughters… find Emma… believe." They were arguing about sending her back and at this point no one was winning. Carefully Tara limped to her parent's room where they were arguing, neither parent noticed her in the doorway.

"We just got her here, she's not going" James was saying

"I am" both her parents turned to her startled

"Tara!"

"I go back I find Emma and we'll come back for you."

"And what if you don't? What if Emma doesn't believe you?" James asked

"I'll make her, Emma will see the light. We'll find you I promise!" Her father didn't look like he believed her

"I am the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming aren't I? I'll find a way I'll be damned if I don't!" James looked at Snow and smirked

"She gets that from you" he said Tara groaned in frustration

"I'm not a little girl anymore! I'm going and if you won't help me I'll find a way to do it myself!" Snow looked at her sympathetically James sighed

"We have what two weeks?" He asked

"That's correct" Tara said

"Give me until then we'll find a way back for you" Tara nodded and hugged her father

"Thank you Daddy"

"Just do me a favor?" Tara nodded

"When you find us again, don't rub it in my face that you were right" Tara smirked

"No promises."

* * *

James sat next to his daughter's bed Snow had to go to work so it was just them for the day.

"It's _charming_ how you care so much for a young woman you hardly know" James turned and saw Regina standing in the doorway

"Though I must admit she looks like the mother who abandoned her."

"What do you want Regina?" James asked

"My son"

"Emma's son" James growled

"Really who raised him?" Regina spat

"Oh and you are such a healthy mother figure" James said sarcasm in his voice.

"I will not listen to childcare lectures from a man who put his _daughters_ one of which was so little she would've died any way, in a box and shipped them to Maine." Regina snapped

"Tara wouldn't have died she was strong, she _is _strong!" Regina laughed

"Please, we both know that child's death sentence was written before she even took her first breath" James jumped to his feet

"Get out"

"Fine, but you know it's true" Regina sneered as she sauntered out.

_**Sorry I had to put that line in. Plus it is SUCH a Regina thing to say, you guys must hate me for dragging this out so long but I promise soon Tara will wake up. Review!**_


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